Legislative Activity

The Fair Access to Agriculture Disaster Programs Act creates an exception to income limits for certain federal agriculture disaster payments. This exception applies to individuals or businesses where at least 75% of their average adjusted gross income is derived from farming, ranching, or forestry. Consequently, these deeply involved agricultural producers will not be subject to standard payment caps on specific disaster assistance programs.

The HELPER Act of 2025 establishes a new FHA mortgage insurance program to assist first responders, educators, and law enforcement officers in purchasing homes. This program offers eligible first-time homebuyers 100% financing with no down payment required. Instead of monthly premiums, borrowers pay an upfront FHA insurance premium at closing.

This bill seeks to amend the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to exempt "premium cigars" from certain FDA regulations. It defines a premium cigar based on strict criteria, including being hand-rolled and made entirely of natural tobacco leaf. The exemption is supported by findings that premium cigar use is rare, especially among youth, and poses lower health risks than other tobacco products.

The Crucial Communism Teaching Act mandates the development of a high school civic education curriculum focused on the history and dangers of communism. This curriculum must detail the death toll caused by communist regimes and highlight ongoing human rights abuses. The Act also requires the creation of "Portraits in Patriotism" oral history resources featuring victims of oppressive political systems.

The Resident Education Deferred Interest (REDI) Act amends federal student loan regulations to provide a specific deferment for medical and dental residents. This allows borrowers currently serving in an internship or residency program to pause principal payments and prevent interest accrual on their student loans during that training period.

The Securing American Agriculture Act mandates an annual report from the Secretary of Agriculture detailing U.S. reliance on China for critical farming supplies like fertilizers, seeds, and veterinary drugs. This study must assess domestic production capabilities and identify supply chain vulnerabilities that China could exploit. The goal is to provide Congress with actionable recommendations for reducing dependency through onshore or nearshore production.

This Act authorizes the creation and sale of special commemorative gold and silver coins to mark the 25th anniversary of the September 11th attacks. The coins will feature designs honoring the victims and first responders, with the phrase "Never Forget" required on at least one design. All surcharges collected from the sale of these coins will be donated to support the ongoing operations and maintenance of the National September 11 Memorial and Museum. The Treasury must ensure the entire coin program results in no net cost to the Federal Government.

This bill censures Representative Al Green of Texas for disrupting the President's address to Congress on March 4, 2025. It condemns his actions and orders him to appear before the House of Representatives to receive a formal reprimand. During this time the Speaker of the House will publicly read the resolution of censure.

The "Pay Our Troops Act of 2025" ensures that members of the Armed Forces, essential Department of Defense civilians, and contractors continue to receive pay and allowances during periods when regular funding is disrupted. This act provides necessary appropriations to cover these costs for fiscal year 2025. The Act's provisions will terminate upon the enactment of regular appropriations, a continuing resolution that provides funding for the same purpose, or on January 1, 2026.

The "Pay Our Border Patrol and Customs Agents Act of 2025" ensures that U.S. Border Patrol agents and Customs and Border Protection officers are paid during any government shutdown in fiscal year 2025. The bill appropriates the necessary funds to cover the salaries and expenses of these essential employees, guaranteeing they continue to receive paychecks even when the government is shut down.

The Modernizing Wildfire Safety and Prevention Act of 2025 is a comprehensive bill designed to bolster the nation's wildfire response capabilities. It focuses on increasing the skilled workforce through new training academies and grants, improving federal firefighter support and retirement benefits, and enhancing public health protections against wildfire smoke via a new national alert system. Finally, the Act streamlines disaster recovery aid and advances predictive technology through centralized risk mapping and data centers.

The Roberto Clemente Commemorative Coin Act directs the Department of Treasury to mint and issue gold, silver, and half-dollar coins in 2027 to commemorate the life and legacy of Roberto Clemente. The coins' designs will represent Clemente's life, including his baseball achievements and humanitarian work. Surcharges from the coin sales will benefit the Roberto Clemente Foundation, supporting their educational programs, youth sports initiatives, disaster relief efforts, and historic preservation projects. The Act ensures that the coin program will not incur any net cost to the United States government.

This bill directs the Joint Committee on the Library to procure a statue of Benjamin Franklin. The statue must be acquired by December 31, 2025, and placed in a publicly accessible location within the U.S. Capitol by December 31, 2026.

The "Supporting Farm Operations Act of 2025" freezes the wage rate for H-2A nonimmigrant workers at the level it was on December 31, 2023, through December 31, 2026. Additionally, the bill directs the Secretary of Labor to use a primary duties evaluation when deciding the required wage for employees who perform multiple duties or tasks.

This bill expresses support for the Iranian people's desire for a democratic, secular, and nonnuclear republic, while condemning the Iranian regime's human rights abuses, support for terrorism, and attempts to develop nuclear weapons. It affirms the right of the Iranian people to self-determination and supports continued sanctions against the current regime. The bill also calls for the protection of Iranian political refugees in Albania.

The Protect Veteran Jobs Act allows wrongly fired or dismissed veterans in civil service jobs between January 20, 2025, and the Act's enactment date to be reinstated to their previous position or a similar one. It mandates executive branch agencies to report to Congress every three months on all veteran employees who were fired or dismissed and the reasons for their termination, effective until January 20, 2029. The Act relies on existing U.S. Code definitions for key terms like "veteran" and "civil service."

The "Protect and Serve Act of 2025" creates federal offenses for intentionally causing serious injury or death to law enforcement officers because of their status as officers. It sets penalties including imprisonment and fines, with increased penalties if death results or if kidnapping or attempted killing is involved. Federal prosecution requires certification from the Attorney General, based on a request from the state or if it is in the public interest to ensure substantial justice. The act defines "law enforcement officer" and "State" for the purposes of the new offenses.

The "No American Land for Communist China Act" prohibits the President from allowing individuals or entities associated with the Chinese government from purchasing real estate near covered federal lands. Covered lands include those managed by the Departments of Interior, Defense, Agriculture (Forest Service), and Energy, as well as Indian country. This restriction applies to entities with at least 25% equity interest held by Chinese government-affiliated individuals or businesses. The Act defines "United States" broadly to include states, territories, and other U.S. possessions.

The "Protecting American Agriculture from Foreign Adversaries Act of 2025" adds the Secretary of Agriculture to the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) for agricultural matters. It mandates CFIUS review of agricultural land transactions, particularly those involving entities from China, North Korea, Russia, or Iran, to safeguard American agriculture. This ensures scrutiny of foreign investments in agricultural land and related industries, addressing potential threats to national security. The requirements for a specific country will end if that country is removed from the list of foreign adversaries in section 791.4 of title 15, Code of Federal Regulations.

The America Works Act of 2025 amends the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 to provide exemptions from work requirements for specific individuals, including those under 18 or over 65, medically unfit individuals, and parents of young children. It also allows the Secretary to waive certain requirements in counties with high unemployment rates, based on state agency requests. Additionally, the act removes a subsection from the Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2023.